Traditional fashion is just fashion at South African Fashion Week
Culture, nostalgia and grown and sexy vibes for this year's Autumn Winter 2025 collections
One of the most refreshing aspects to the African Fashion Renaissance is how designers are continuing to prove that “traditional” does not mean static and that culture is dynamic playground for engineering, newnesss and experimentation.
Looking at this seasons’ collections at South African Fashion Week, I’m reminded of what’s always made certain cultural appropriation and fetishisation of African design by western designers feel particularly hollow and uninventive. And it kind of leans into noble savage territory in that a lot of European designers are often attracted to outside cultures for the spiritual and esoteric characteristics of their dress and decide that’s the only value there. Not also seeing and appreciating the many ways, both purely decorative and wholly functional, in which people fashion themselves. And I say fashion specifically since it’s distinguished from clothing or dress by innovation and change.
Thabo Maketha is a great example of this. The Lesotho-born designer once again continues to offer a unique take on Basotho blankets, not only imagining offering the signature textile in different silhouettes beyond the typical shawl or wrapper form, but, most interestingly, transferring the designs to leather. It’s such a clever call back to the blanket’s origin as a kaross. (For anyone not familiar, kaross is essentially a blanket which were made of animal skin such as cow or leopard hide. Basotho moved to wool versions in the late 1800s after one was gifted to King Moshoeshoe I).
Another standout was a cowrie-shell beaded, pleated skirt over cage crinoline from E_Mania that was a big hit on my feed. On Instagram the brand mentions that the collection is “inspired by a Zulu women coming of age” and it’s a subtle yet powerful take on the clothing worn for umemulo. And I don’t know if everyone’s still up in arms about bow and ruffle girlhood gate but it’s refreshing to see more designers focus on womanhood.
While I’m a sucker for dainty, childlike detailing, the girl’ing in recent years has gotten a bit intense. I saw this after reading this great essay by Jade Fax about the sex-charged infantilisation of Sabrina Carpenter which, while giving me some pause as a fellow horny and short woman, did made me realise how absent an appreciation for feminine adulthood is in the zeitgeist.
In this vein, The Bam Collective is another welcome respite, drawing from the natural world as “a metaphor for our individual evolution and relation to the environment and society surrounding us.” As usual, they had the most diverse range of models in both size and age (because it’s Grown Woman™ o’clock), showcasing their trademark wave trim, bubble skirts and godets. This was balanced by structured tailored pieces like a gold-fringe suit and layered, custom printed denim pieces. There were also gold lame evening gowns with peplums and mermaid skirts very reminiscent of an Oscar trophy.
Speaking of gold lame and fabric manipulation, which were prominent part of Fikile Sokhulu’s visual language a few years ago (see above Instagram post), this time the designer focused on the hair salon. Voluminous ponchos, palazzos and tent dresses were rendered with a custom print of cornrowed heads. It’s really beautiful and reminds me of a Wanda Lephoto Barber Shop t-shirts from a while back and something similar I think the Rwandan brand Mille Collins did. I think the most successful forays into nostalgia are those that highlight seemingly unique-to-you experiences you aren’t constantly bombarded while revealing how much we’re all just like one another even if just in different fonts.
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Also, as an aside, it’s been so interesting to see everyone discussing Fashion Week fatigue over the New York, Paris, London, et al seasons because it feels like South African Fashion Week is fun again. Since the pandemic, I’ve really struggled to see the point in these shows and not because the clothing wasn’t interesting or because there wasn’t value to be found in these platforms but the traditional fashion show model just seems tired. Even in New York and London, more and more designers are opting out, instead hosting intimate events like dinners or getaways and maximising on the clout of star studded guest lists. I always wonder if maybe something like that might make more sense here but that and the current state of local fashion week is a conversation for another day.
You know you love me,
xoxo Khensani